Northwestern
2-9
Ball State
6-6
Wildcats Top Cardinals in 11 Innings, 5-4
3/6/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
 | ||
 |
Northwestern 5, Ball State 4 (11) South County Park • Port Charlotte, Fla. Box Score | Box Score 
|  |
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- It took a few extra frames to get the job done, but Northwestern opened the Snowbird Classic with a 5-4 win over Ball State in Port Charlotte, Fla. Friday. Fifth-year senior Kyle Ruchim drove in three of the Wildcats' five runs, including the game-winner in the top of the 11th inning.
Northwestern opened the scoring Friday afternoon with a pair of runs in the top of the third innings. After JR Reimer reached on an error by Ball State's shortstop to start the inning, Ruchim uncorked the first home run of the season for the Wildcats to left field to stake his team to a 2-0 lead.
The Cardinals were able to answer right back with their own pair of runs in the bottom of the third against NU's Brandon Magallones. The Cardinals scored the two runs on three singles, a sacrifice and a groundout to Grant Peikert at shortstop.
The offense got rolling once again in the top of the fourth frame. Scott Heelan led off the inning with a base hit to right field before Reid Hunter followed two batters later with a single to center field. Reimer then delivered the biggest blow of the inning, s two-run double that plated both Heelan from third and Hunter from first.
Magallones and Ball State's starting pitcher Zach Plesac both put up goose eggs in the fifth and sixth innings. After Plesac held the Wildcats off the scoreboard in the top of the seventh, the Cardinals tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the stanza. Freshman Tommy Bordignon came on with with two runs in and nobody out in the seventh, but the hard-throwing right-hander did not allow the home team to score again.
Bordignon and junior Jake Stolley teamed up to throw four scoreless innings with the former striking out three in two innings of work. Stolley tossed a perfect frame in the bottom of the 10th to set the stage for his offense in the top of the 11th.
Reimer walked to begin the 11th before Peikert reached on a bunt single two batters later. Reimer moved up to second base and he soon scored when Ruchim ripped what proved to be the game-winning single into center field.
Pete Hofman relieved Stolley in the bottom of the 11th. The sophomore fanned Alex Maloney looking to begin the inning before getting Scott Tyler to ground out to second base for the second out. Hofman then struck out pinch hitter Nick Hollowell to end the game and secure the second win of the season for the 'Cats.
Ruchim, Reimer and Cody Stevens combined for seven of Northwestern's 12 hits Friday. The pitching staff limited Ball State to only seven hits in the game and none after the seventh inning.
Magallones struck out six in six innings of work to help Northwestern get back in the win column, while walking only two.
Northwestern will be back on the diamond Saturday at 11 a.m. CST against the Dartmouth Big Green. The Wildcats will close the Snowbird Classic on Sunday, March 8 with a doubleheader against Georgetown beginning at 9 a.m.
••••••
Be the first to know what's going on with the 'Cats -- Follow @NU_Sports on Twitter, become a fan of Northwestern Athletics on Facebook, subscribe to the NU Sports Express e-newsletter and sign up to receive promotional text alerts for the latest news, schedule updates and video and to interact with NU. For more information on following specific Northwestern teams online, visit our Social Media page!
.png&width=84&height=84&quality=100&type=webp)
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Stolley, Jake (1-1)
L: BUTLER (1-2)
S: Hofman, Pete (1)
Batting:
2B: Reimer, JR 1
HR: Ruchim, Kyle 1
RBI: Ruchim, Kyle 3 ; Reimer, JR 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Ruchim, Kyle 1 ; Heelan, Scott 1 ; Hunter, Reid 1 ; Reimer, JR 2
CS: Reimer, JR 1
HBP: Heelan, Scott 1
Batting:
2B: KENNEDY 1
RBI: SPAULDING 1 ; DEVARIE 1 ; TYLER 1
SH: KENNEDY 1 ; EPPERS 2
Base Running:
RUNS: KENNEDY 1 ; MALONEY 1 ; TYLER 1 ; ESTEP 1
CS: CALL 1 ; RINDFLEISCH 1
